The Senate Changed Color. The World Kept Burning.

Democrats flipped two Senate seats in the Carolinas, so the evening’s political scoreboard has acquired a color scheme. Republicans are asking whether the calculator has a recount provision.

While Washington counted seats, Russia knocked three of Ukraine’s five DTEK thermal power plants offline with missiles and drones. Power, water, and transportation were disrupted. Peace talks are scheduled for next week in Abu Dhabi, because nothing says “productive diplomacy” like arriving after another round of infrastructure damage.

In northwestern Pakistan, gunmen killed two police officers protecting polio workers and wounded a third. The vaccination campaign aims to reach 24 million children. Health now requires an armed escort, which feels like a poor review of civilization’s group project.

Spain’s transport minister resigned six days after a train collision killed 69 people, the second deadly crash on the same line this year. He told lawmakers the ministry could not continue after two disasters in less than a year. Accountability did arrive. It was simply running several days behind schedule.

So yes, the election matters. The Senate math may decide who gets the microphones, subpoenas, and committee gavels. Meanwhile, the rest of the world continues providing evidence that the adults’ meeting has been postponed.